Martinson & Beason, P.C.
Drunk driving and distracted driving get much of the media’s attention. This is for good reason: they cause a large number of auto accidents and result in the death of thousands of people—more than one third of all auto accident fatalities, combined—each year. But there’s another culprit that costs thousands…
We’re well into summer, and many people are enjoying the nice weather by riding their motorcycles.
If you are one of them, we want you to stay safe.
Despite ideal riding conditions, the number of accidents that occur during the summer is high. This is partly because of the increased traffic on the road, particularly around the holidays.
A recent article in Consumer Reports offers great tips for both new and returning riders.
Car accidents can be expensive: there’s no doubt about that. If the accident was your fault, you have to pay your deductible, and your insurance premiums will likely increase. Even if the accident was someone else’s fault, you may have to pay to have your car towed, and you may have medical bills from accident-related injuries.
These are just the costs associated with the individuals involved in the car accident: the costs to the U.S. economy as a whole are much, much higher.
Car accidents are on the rise, with 1.24 million people dying on the world’s roads each year. That’s greater than the population of nine different U.S. states. That number is expected to jump to 3.6 million worldwide by 2030. But despite the worldwide increase in traffic deaths, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that the U.S. has seen an overall decrease in traffic deaths, from 15.64 per 100,000 people in 1994 to 10.39 per 100,000 in 2011.
Distracted driving is an extremely serious problem plaguing our nation today. Each year, thousands of motorists are killed in accidents involving drivers who were texting, talking on the phone, or even surfing the web while behind the wheel.
Most alarmingly, even those we depend on to drive safely—people whose job involves driving—are distracted. Recently, CNN reported the disturbing story of a student who caught her bus driver texting.
In the video, the bus driver, whose face is not shown, can be shown holding the wheel with one hand and texting with the other. At one point, the driver appears to quickly grab the wheel, which may suggest that the driver allowed the bus to drift into the other lane.
Have you ever pulled into your driveway after a long, familiar drive and realized you can’t remember getting there? If you have, chances are you just experienced “highway hypnosis.” But what is it?
A recent article in the Detroit News defines highway hypnosis as a “mental state in which a person can drive great distances without recollection of having consciously done so.”
It should be fairly clear why highway hypnosis can be a danger: when behind the wheel, all drivers should be alert and focused—not mindlessly going through the motions.
